‘TONIGHT SHOW’ AND ‘LATE NIGHT’ SCORE SEASON HIGHS DURING THE DISRUPTED WEEK OF SEPT. 3-7

JAY LENO AND JIMMY FALLON EARN THEIR TOP WEDNESDAY RATINGS SINCE EARLY 2010 WITH TELECASTS DELAYED BY AN NFL OVERRUN

SEASON TO DATE, JAY HAS STRETCHED HIS TOTAL-VIEWER LEAD OVER ‘LATE SHOW’ TO 23 PERCENT FROM THE YEAR-AGO 15 PERCENT; JIMMY FALLON HAS INCREASED HIS MARGIN OVER ‘LATE LATE SHOW’ TO 22 PERCENT, UP FROM LAST YEAR’S 7 PERCENT

UNIVERSAL CITY, Calif. – September 13, 2012 – NBC’s “The Tonight Show with Jay Leno” and “Late Night with Jimmy Fallon” have delivered their top-rated weeks of the television season in adults 18-49 and their biggest Wednesday ratings since early 2010, to win the late-night week of September 3-7.

During the disrupted week, Monday results were excluded due to the Labor Day holiday, NBC and CBS excluded multiple nights due to overrun coverage of the Democratic National Convention and NBC’s Wednesday results, which are included, were delayed by a high-rated NFL overrun. Also note that Friday’s “Late Show” and “Kimmel” were encores.

On Wednesday, with telecasts delayed by the overrun of that night’s primetime “NFL Kickoff” coverage on NBC, “Tonight” delivered a 1.4 rating in adults 18-49, the show’s highest for a Wednesday edition since March 3, 2010, and “Late Night” scored a 0.8, the show’s best for a Wednesday since January 20, 2010.

That keyed a weeklong 1.1 rating for “Tonight,” its highest weekly rating since January 31-February 4, 2011, and a 0.7 for “Late Night,” its strongest since the week of September 5-9, 2011.

Through the first 51 weeks of the 2011-12 broadcast year, "Tonight" has increased its total-viewer margin over "Late Show" to 23 percent (3.664 million vs. 2.987 million), up from the year-ago season-to-date advantage of 15 percent, while stretching its 25-54 advantage to 11 percent (1.402 million vs. 1.262 million) from last year’s 9 percent and its 18-34 lead to 26 percent (347,000 vs. 275,000) from last year’s 24 percent.

Jimmy Fallon has established a total-viewer lead over "Late Late Show" this season of 22 percent (1.750 million vs. 1.434 million), up from last year's advantage of 7 percent. Jimmy has also increased his season-to-date lead over "Late Late Show" in adults 18-49 to 24 percent (706,000 vs. 568,000), up from last year’s 22 percent; in adults 18-34 to 54 percent (275,000 vs. 178,000), up from last year's 30 percent; and in adults 25-54 to 18 percent (844,000 vs. 718,000), up from 9 percent at this point last season.

"Tonight" delivered a bigger 18-49 audience than "Late Show" for the 32nd time in their last 36 head-to-head weeks (excludes weeks of Olympic preemptions) and 14th week in a row, while Jimmy Fallon has attracted a bigger 18-49 audience than "Late Late Show" for each of their last 39 head-to-head weeks.

WEEKLY AVERAGES

(According to in-home viewing figures from Nielsen Media Research for the week of September 3-7. Ratings reflect “live plus same day” data from Nielsen Media Research unless otherwise noted. Season-to-date figures are averages of “live plus seven day” data except for the two most recent weeks, which are “live plus same day.”)

ADULTS 18-49

11:35 p.m.-12:35 a.m. ET

NBC “Tonight,” 1.1 rating, 5 share*

CBS “Late Show,” 0.4/2*

11:35 p.m.-12 midnight ET

ABC “Nightline,” 0.7/3*

12 midnight-1 a.m. ET

ABC “Kimmel,” 0.4/2 (in encore telecast)*

12:35-1:35 a.m. ETNBC “Late Night,” 0.7/4*

CBS “Late Late Show,” 0.3/1*

1:35-2:05 a.m. ET

NBC “Last Call,” 0.4/3 (in encore telecasts)*

TOTAL VIEWERS

11:35 p.m.-12:35 a.m. ET

NBC “Tonight,” 3.6 million viewers*

CBS “Late Show,” 2.2 million viewers*

11:35 p.m.-12 midnight ET

ABC “Nightline,” 2.9 million viewers*

12 midnight-1 a.m. ET

ABC “Kimmel,” 1.4 million viewers (in encore telecasts)*

12:35-1:35 a.m. ET

NBC “Late Night,” 1.9 million viewers*

CBS “Late Late Show,” 1.0 million viewers*

1:35-2:05 a.m. ET

NBC “Last Call,” 1.1 million viewers (in encore telecasts)*

* Tuesday and Thursday NBC telecasts and Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday CBS programs were delayed by convention coverage and are excluded. Wednesday’s NBC telecasts were delayed by a high-rated NFL overrun but are included. Friday’s “Late Show” and “Kimmel” were encores.

Aaron, if Romney did, that was scripted–and politically meaningless. I would dearly love to see him have a conversation with Dave for 45 minutes. I think it would be very telling.

Tony

” didn’t Romney once make an appearance on Letterman for the Top 10? ”

Yes, he did:

Tony

” if Romney did, that was scripted–and politically meaningless. I would dearly love to see him have a conversation with Dave for 45 minutes. ”

Dave interviewed Romney in 2010:

GARebelman

It will be hard for Letterman to win the week if he crashes back down to where he has been all summer. Though that was an impressive overnight. I think he was booked before the Romney video was let loose so I guess you can call it “great timing!” in the booking department

Adam

Absolutely true, GAR. Sometimes Letterman is on the losing end of current events…usually in repeats. Last night it worked out perfectly for him.

Just from cursory reading around the Internet, this Late Show appearance seems to have helped Obama quite a bit. Of course, the Romney tape has damaged him, perhaps irreparably, making Obama seem more of a leader.

Quite interestingly, few polls have had Obama over 50% thus far. Just as I think the McCain incident with Letterman hurt McCain greatly, I wonder if Obama’s appearance on Letterman helped him win back some wavering voters.

Letterman is getting some criticism for some of the humor…seems as if people forget his profession. It’s not Meet the Press.

Adam

Yeah, tonight’s show could be a doozy too…Letterman is so much fun in election seasons and when NBC fs-up late night…

Leno is a natural comic who’s been at the top of the ratings for nearly 20 years! Ellen’s monologue is AWFUL and her comedic skills aren’t even close to Leno!

Adam

Here’s some proof that Ellen is one of the great monologists of the day…this event made me a fan. The line of the evening is at 6.00. She’s funnier than Jay Leno ever was or ever will be.

Anonymous

I thought the Commandment says “Thou Shall Not Steal”

Aaron

For years scenes of the Twin Towers were displayed prominently in the opening credits for Late Night with David Letterman and the Late Show. I think that since 1 World Trade Center is finally starting to become prominent in the NY Skyline, the opening of the Late Show should show the building. In the new SNL opening graphics, 1 WTC is shown.

Adam

In addition to that, I wish Letterman would show off New York more…the good, the bad, and the absurd.

Even getting the Rockettes to get him a can of Coke would be marvelous to see again.

It’s been many, many years since Late Show’s opening has changed…you’re right, it’s time.

Some interesting thoughts here. I never once thought of Ellen DeGeneres as a late night host, but she would be an excellent choice.

But I agree it would be a bad gamble to change. She is the queen of daytime television, and that might not translate into the evening.

Adam

The thing, Michael, is I see somebody like Ellen bringing in a lot of young and female eyeballs to late night television.

Being a guy, it’s hard for me to judge, but it’s hard for me to imagine anything worthwhile for a young woman on late night television. Many are repulsed by Letterman because of his scandal. Leno? Nothing appealing there. Some may like Kimmel. Some might think Fallon cute.

Most of the young women I know watch Conan or Chelsea Handler.

Anonymous

Here’s a story with a moral.

Adam

Just noticed Letterman sort of got a refreshed website. Not as nice as it was a few weeks ago.

Diana Santiago

Is it true that Leno just asked Amy Poehler how was her summer?

Awesome interview skillz.

HBO

Kimmel will make the EMMY show go to a wasted night…Just because ABC is airing the show, they made a bad choice on this…..no one will watch, you wait and see. Unless Sara Silvermen is with him at each segment, it will be boring with Kimmel each and every time the camera is on him.